Orient's Multi-Eye Watches

Orient's fascination with "interesting" (or strange / complicated, as you prefer) dials has previously been discussed on the blog. One way Orient used to achieve this level of interest, was the use of movements supporting multiple sub-dials. Today we'll look at one such movement: Caliber 46B, famously powering Orient's "multi-eye" dials (and its successor, F6B).

But first, an apology! As I was researching for this story, I noticed the old movements table I used in the "Caliber 46" post had an error… I saw it had Caliber 46C (as seen in this model) listed with the exact same specs as the 46B, which made no sense.

Indeed, that was a mistake. The difference, of course, is that 46C has the same day-of-week hand, but does not feature the 24-hour hand that 46B has! Well, error fixed. I know many of you take to the blog to obtain accurate, reliable Orient information, so whenever I notice an inaccuracy (which can happen) I aim to fix it immediately.

Take a quick look at the 46B's documentation and you'll immediately notice a slight problem: if you arrange the movement "properly" as shown in the diagram, you need to place the watch crown at the awkward 2:30 position.

However, never reluctant to play oddball, this was exactly how Orient first presented this movement. In the image below are two early models, proudly boasting the symmetrical dial position. The axis of the two sub-dials is placed at the same "height", and the crown is unashamedly sticking out at 2:30 (or closer to 2:36, it seems).

And of course, Orient being Orient, moving from the first to the second series they shrunk the 24 hour sub-dial, making sure even the dial symmetry is gone.

In the next two models, nothing seems to be in its right place. The sub-dials are at 11 and 3, and the crown is at half past 3. However, somehow this arrangement, aligning along some imaginary diagonal axis, is more eye-pleasing than the previous.

When Orient introduced more complex layouts, with the addition of an internal rotating bezel, two benefits were gained: first, the additional crown for rotating the bezel balanced the main crown; secondly, with the dial now busier anyway, the location of the sub-dials becomes less of an issue. In other words: when things get confusing, just keep making them more complicated, until you reach a level where it all makes sense.

Also, the more sporty the design, and less “dressy”, the less of an issue is the dial layout. This is true for the almost-classic “defender” field watch (which was later replaced with a new movement allowing the crown to move to 3 o’clock), and for the hefty-looking beast on the left, in the next picture.

And of course, you can always go for a non-round case shape, where all expectations for familiar watch designs get ditched anyhow. Consider this chubby barrel-case model – or the chunky rectangular one. Yes the dial looks odd. Okay, we accept it for what it is.

Luckily, it wasn't all strangeness for the sake of strangeness. Once in a while, Orient's designers did the other thing they know quite, and harnessed their creativity to produce something truly good-looking.

The sun and moon watch was probably the best application of caliber 46B. Here Orient replaced the simple 24 hour hand with a rotating disc portraying the movement of the sun and the moon. Still a busy dial, but now it's busy working for the greater good.

Having achieved greatness, caliber 46B was finally ready to retire. Orient replaced it with caliber F6B, offering similar functions but now operating much better, with modern features like hand-winding and hacking. And having learned its lesson, Orient's manuals now show it with the crown at 3 o'clock.

New models using the F6B movement are identified by the “AK” part of the reference code, replacing the old “ET” indication. As one may expect, the new designs are not too adventurous. For instance, pictured above are the current Defender and multi-eye Bambino.

Below you can see the updated Sun and Moon watch. Here you can see two formats of this design – the Bambino style in 41.5mm, and a larger, sportier version in 42.5mm.

If you’re looking for something more fancy, there is also the 41.5mm contemporary-style sun and moon – or, for the ladies, 36mm decorated models like this mother-of-pearl piece.

So, that is the story of Orient multi-eye watches: plenty of goofy stuff, undeniable creativity, and occasionally some nice-looking products.

 

Photos were taken from Orient manuals, catalogs and sale ads.

 

A Decade of Orient Watch Releases – What the Numbers Reveal

As longtime readers of Orient Place know, I’ve been compiling stats about this blog’s activity for years – often sharing some fun insights in the annual anniversary posts. This time, I thought it would be interesting to look outward: to dive into publicly available data about Orient’s actual watch releases and see what patterns might emerge.

Over the past ten years, Orient has been consistently enriching its catalog with a mix of new models and variations on existing designs. By analyzing over 170 releases between 2015 and 2024, some patterns become clear – and they offer clues not only to the company’s product strategy, but also to what we might expect next.

 

The Big Picture

I scanned around 175 releases, as advertised on the brand's website. I was interested in release dates (as I wanted to observe seasonality), and also wanted to separate new designs from variants (such as new dial colors or plating options), and to distinguish between Orient branded releases, Orient Star, and other "fashion" sub-brands like "iO" and "Moussy".

Overall, releases were split quite evenly between 81 new designs and 94 variants. Among the three major product lines:

• Orient Star led with 99 releases, focusing heavily on variations.
• Orient followed with 61 releases, showing a balanced mix of new and variant designs.
• The Fashion lines saw only 15 releases, most of them new. Note that while Orient would rarely release "new" models with very slight changes from existing ones, this is much more likely to happen with the Fashion lines, which are driven more by design than function.

 

When Are New Watches Released?

There’s a clear seasonality to Orient’s release schedule. The busiest months are February, April, and September, with February being the top month overall – a time that coincides with the end of the Japanese fiscal year. This timing might reflect strategic planning cycles, or simply a desire to capture seasonal market energy.

• February and April are rich in new designs, suggesting a focus on innovation early in the year.
• September and October lean toward variants, likely to refresh existing lines before the holiday season.
• The quieter months – January and December – see almost no action. The single December release, a fashion watch, likely some Christmas gift idea!

 

Anniversary Years: Special Attention

Orient’s major anniversaries in 2015, 2020, and now 2025, clearly mark moments of heightened activity. During these years, Orient released an average of 9 watches per year – nearly double the annual average of non-anniversary years. This uptick includes both new designs and variants, with each type seeing roughly a 75%–100% increase over typical years.

For Orient Star, the trend is more nuanced. In non-anniversary years, the brand tends to favor variants, releasing more than two variants for every new design. But in anniversary years—like 2016 and 2021—this pattern reverses. The average number of new Orient Star models per year nearly doubles, surpassing the number of variants and reflecting a deliberate push for innovation during milestone moments.

In short, anniversaries are not just symbolic for Orient – they are creative peaks, often bringing with them some of the most interesting and original designs the brand has to offer.

 

Trends Over Time

Looking at year-to-year shifts, a few longer-term trends emerge:

• A variant-heavy strategy has been dominant since 2018, especially between 2021 and 2022.
• New designs spiked again in 2020 and are trending upward once more in 2024.

Meanwhile, product line activity has shifted:

• Orient Star consistently leads in activity – this makes sense, as the likely higher profit margin justifies more research and development.
• Orient models dropped off slightly in the late 2010s but are now recovering.
• Fashion lines peaked in 2015 and have been minimal in recent years.

 

Forecasting the Future

Orient’s release schedule over the past decade reveals a certain rhythm—one that allows for cautious speculation. While each year brings its own surprises, the clustering of releases around February, April, and September appears consistent enough to serve as a rough guide. This year's activity so far supports the trend: Both February (actually starting January 31) and April brought about plenty of new releases, mainly variants.

Anniversary years in particular have shown a tendency to concentrate both volume and variety in these peak months. If 2025 follows the precedent set in 2015 and 2020, we may well see more activity in the autumn, likely in the form of additional variants and, perhaps, a few new designs.

Naturally, no chart can predict a design team's creative process. This analysis is offered in the same spirit as much of what we do here – part appreciation, part curiosity, and mostly just for the fun of it.

 

Final Thoughts

Of course, there are many factors that influence when a watch brand chooses to release new models—market demands, production schedules, and global events to name just a few. This analysis isn’t meant to be predictive in any serious way. It’s just a fun look at how Orient has operated over the past decade, and a small way to appreciate the rhythm and strategy behind the brand’s ongoing evolution.

And who knows? If the numbers hint at what’s to come, all the better for us collectors.

P.S. Yes I did pick the Grand Prix Triostat for the accompanying photoshoot. It's about stats. And it's a triostat. Sorry...!

Orient Place Blog's 7th Anniversary

So here we are again – another lap around the sun, and Orient Place blog turns seven. As always, it’s time to take a moment to look back at the past twelve months, to reflect, analyze, and share a few thoughts.

Over the past year, the blog recorded 183,000 views – a marginal increase over the 182K we reached last year. That means growth has plateaued, which isn't surprising considering the shifting patterns of online readership. Still, the numbers show there's continued interest in Orient watches, and the blog remains a point of reference for many collectors and fans around the world.

Twenty-seven stories were posted this year. That’s a little fewer than in previous years, but the mix of topics was rich and varied. There were two reviews of new modern models and two of older pieces; ten posts covered new releases; and ten articles looked at different product lines, features, or design themes. The rest were a mix of commentary and general watch talk. The focus may have shifted slightly away from individual model reviews, but the substance was still all about Orient, I don't seem to run out of topics…

Once again, the Mako 40mm proved its staying power. The hands-on review I posted the previous year remained the most-read article this year as well, drawing over 4,000 additional views. This makes it the top post for two years running – a rare feat on the blog, and a sign that this model continues to generate interest. The most-read new article this year was “Orient Does Snoopy”, which covered the unexpected co-branded release and drew more than 2,000 views. This was followed closely by an older post on the smaller Small-Seconds Bambino, which continues to perform well, and a newer preview of the "Classic and Simple" line for 2025, which earned around 1,500 views.

The same themes extended to social media. The Snoopy watch topped the Instagram charts as well, being the most liked photo I posted this year. It was followed by a shot of my Royal Orient WE0011EG – a personal favorite that never fails to attract attention – then an unboxing of my green Contemporary Standard, the arrival of the EX0D M-Force, and a vintage King Diver making a quiet, confident appearance.

Looking at Orient’s strategy this year, the most obvious direction has been variation rather than innovation. We've seen many new dial colors for familiar models – particularly the Mako and the Bambino – often in pastel and warm tones that seem to follow the trend that began with Rolex’s colorful OPs. At the same time, Orient introduced solar-powered versions of both the Mako and Bambino, marking a subtle yet significant expansion of the lineup into eco-friendly quartz territory. These aren’t technological revolutions, but they are relevant, practical evolutions that make sense for a brand whose strength lies in everyday value.

That said, there’s always more fans would like to see. Speaking for myself, I’d love to see Orient’s newer long power reserve movements – those 60 to 70-hour calibers – make their way into more affordable models, and not remain exclusive to the top-tier Orient Star references. I’d also love to finally see a proper GMT, particularly a true (traveler-style) GMT, something that Seiko has been able to deliver recently. Here's what GPT imagines such a GMT Bambino might look like…

And yes, I do miss some of the quirkier stuff. Orient has a history of creating bold and unique designs, and I’d be thrilled to see some of that daring spirit return – not just in Orient Star, but in the more accessible lines as well. A modern take on something like the old Direct Read models, for instance, would be cool.

Looking at the wider industry, not just Orient, it's clear the trend continues to shift upscale. Watches & Wonders 2025 gave us more of the same – brands chasing the high-end buyer, innovation reserved for five-and-six-figure pieces, and very little happening at the more accessible price points. Grand Seiko, meanwhile, keeps pushing out new models at a dizzying pace. Which makes me wonder – isn't it about time we saw the return of Royal Orient?

As always, I want to say thank you. To all of you who read the blog, follow the Instagram account, leave comments, ask questions, and send messages – you’re the reason this keeps going. I’d love to hear even more from you in the year ahead. Not just on individual blog posts, but your thoughts on new Orient releases, your experiences as owners, questions about service or quality – all of it. The more conversations, the better.

Here's to another year of watching watches!

 

April 2025 Watch Releases by Orient and Orient Star

Today, Orient presented a bunch of new watches under both Orient and Orient Star brands. These are not completely new models, but new references for existing models – generally speaking, new dial designs.

 

Orient Star M34 F8 Date

The M34 F8 Date is one of the brand's flagship models, boasting its 60 hour caliber F8N64, high-end metalwork and fine dial. Presented in February 2024 with white and blue dial versions, Orient have now added a couple of new versions.

·        A limited edition version with a special black dial with what Orient describe as a world-first "nanoparticle metal multilayering technology" creating an effect like a meteor shower (something that really needs to be seen in person). This version includes a global reference RE-BX0009B limited to 160 pieces, and JDM ref. RK-BX0007B (80 units with crocodile leather band, besides the metal bracelet) as well as ref. RK-BX0008B (20 units with cordovan leather band).

·        A regular version with a textured green dial, in similar technique to the white and blue colors, reference RE-BX0006E, or JDM RK-BX0005E with grey crocodile strap.

 

Orient Mako

Orient also present a number of new watches in the Mako family – including the standard Mako (which was named Kamasu and now, apparently returns to its familiar old name), the Mako 40mm, and the light-powered chronograph.

First, there's a bunch of limited editions celebrating Orient's 75^th anniversary, all featuring Orient's cursive logo and a unique stamped sunburst pattern, reminiscent of the old Seiko Cocktail, in a light shade of blue.

Global models are ref. RA-AA0823L (42mm Mako), RA-AC0Q12L (40mm Mako), and RA-TX0210L (solar chrono), limited to 6000, 6000, and 1000 units, respectively. Equivalent JDM models are RN-AA0823L, RN-AC0Q12L, and RN-TX0210L, limited to 1000, 1000, and 750 units respectively.

Then there also a few new non-limited colorways of the Mako 40: Reference RA-AC0Q09R (JDM RN-AC0Q09R) with a red dial, ref. RA-AC0Q10N with a dark-grey plated case and bezel and matching dial, having a black silicon band, and ref. RA-AC0Q11E with a green dial and silicon band. The latter two do not have a JDM version.

All models, Orient and Orient Star, are expected to become available in June.